In this showcasing of masterpieces from Indian modern art, DAG has formulated a set of criteria, which whilst not definitive, can function as a reliable guide, to determine the inclusion of a ‘master’ artwork, not surprisingly by artists that are acknowledged masters themselves. These criteria have included the work’s expressive powers, the ability to evoke emotion; quality, technique and skill; content and context; originality; the note of ‘perfection’ attained; rarity; longevity; universality; provenance and perhaps even its present location, such as an esteemed public collection.
Introduced first in 2016 at the India Art Fair, Masterpieces is now a regular feature of DAG’s annual display, bringing together some acclaimed and lesser known superlatives of Indian modernism. This second edition brings together remarkable artworks from late 19th century to the 21st, celebrating the genius of the native patua painter from Bengal as equally the range of celebrated modernists from significant centres of art production in the country.